A Message from the Feminist Jar-Openers Association

If you haven’t see the responses from Vice and Fit and Feminist response to the women of Women Against Feminism who don’t need feminism as it would deprive them of the men who open their jars for them, you’re in for a treat.

“Also how the f*@k am I supposed to open jars + life heavy things without my husband? I am grateful for our differences!” Detail from Women Against Feminism. Via Vice.

A disquieting number of them simply need help opening jars. One woman does not need feminism for unstated reasons (but I think we can safely assume it’s related to jars). The jar problem is rampant enough that I’m a little worried these women have severe, undiagnosed muscular problems. Guys, please see a doctor. It can be a male doctor!

This must pose some real difficulties for the Women Against Feminism who do not live with men. Do they just avoid pickles and other jarred foods altogether? If a recipe calls for something in a jar, do they call a male friend to come over and open it? Or if said male friend is not available, do they go outside and ask the first man to open it for them? So many questions!

I lived alone for two years, and I am grateful that I had decided to work on my upper body strength (and alternate jar-opening techniques, like hot water) before I found myself without a roommate or partner to ask for help. I can (and did) carry my crate of Beer Camp on a cross-town bus ride. I am able-bodied, yes, but whether someone has the physical capacity to open a jar (for whatever reason) doesn’t and shouldn’t really have anything to do with their gender.

By the way, regarding that sign, “being grateful for differences” is code for “I subscribe to cissexist notions about bodies,” which I’ve discussed here.

There’s another section from Ringo’s (Vice) piece I’d like to touch on:

One woman does not need feminism because she likes to cook for her family. On its surface, it’s pretty easy to understand where they’re coming from—you don’t hear a lot about feminists fighting for a woman’s right to cook for her family. But that’s because the option to cook for your family was always on the table (so to speak).

I need feminism because I want to cook for my family, but not in the way presented by anti-feminist and even mainstream culture. Feminism makes my interest in home cooking and eating clean, safe food possible. I need to (continue to) earn a living wage and a fair wage based on my abilities and seniority, not my perceived gender or gender role, so I can buy food to cook. I need to be able to be in charge of my own finances (having a credit card in my name, having a bank account, having my own retirement fund). For others, feminism and food means being paid fairly and working in safe conditions in the food production, agricultural or food service industries. It’s all connected.

So, yes, in short: I don’t care if you don’t like my arm muscles, WAF. I seal my jam jars tight to keep the sexism out.